Apparatus for forming and wrapping cigars



Oct. 13, 1964 s. J. SILBERMAN 3,152,595

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS Filed Feb. 26, 1965 6Sheets-Sheet l l Z T 1 -1 ENTOR. JZ/rma /'4 8590740 ATTORNEY Oct. 13;1964 5. J. SILBERMAN APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS 6Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 INVENTOR. @071/54 JJhazw/m/v ATTORNEYOct. 13, 1964 5. J. SILBERMAN 3,152,595

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS Filed Feb. 26, 1963 6Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 634014452 [074 asa /mm ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1964s. J. SILBERMAN 3,152,595

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS Filed Feb. 26, 1965 6Sheets-Sheet 4 1 N VENTOR. SAMUEL J5 SEQ/WAN ATTORNE y Oct. 13, 1964 5.J. SILBERMAN 3,152,595

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS Filed Feb. 26, 1963 6Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 0740x052 JJPLBEQMAN ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1964 s.J. SILBERMAN APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND WRAPPING CIGARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6Filed Feb. 26, 1963 IIIIIIIIII/II/IIII/ I! 70b H70 70 LAM-J INVENTOR61407052 ff/155mm ATTORNE y United States Patent 3,152,595 AFPARA'IUSFUR FGRMHNG AND WRAPPING CIGARS Samuel J. ilherrnan, 885 Park Ave., NewYork, N.Y. Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 26%,973 l2 Ciaims. (Cl. 131-59)The present invention relates generally to improvements in the field oftobacco products. It relates in particular to an improved apparatus forthe continuous production of cigars and cigar-type products.

In the manufacture of cigars, the tobacco filler is generally spirallyor helically wrapped in tobacco leaves or in artificial sheet tobacco.In the commercial production of cigarettes, the tobacco is enclosed by apaper tube formed of a curled band whose edges are joined along alongitudinally extending straight line. The spiral or helical wrapperwhich typifies cigars, as one point of difference from cigarettes,affords many advantages but has heretofore possessed the drawback ofbeing expensive and diificult to produce requiring considerable handlabor. While machines have ben proposed for the continuous automaticproduction of cigars provided with helical wrappers, these machinesleave much to be desired and have not been commercially accepted.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved apparatus for the production of tobacco products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for the production of cigars.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for the automatic continuous production of cigars providedwith helical wrappers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedtobacco handling, forming and feeding mechanism.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide animproved mechanism for applying a helical wrapper to a continuouslyadvancing rod of tobacco.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is an end,partially diagrammatic, elevational view of a tobacco forming andwrapping mecha nism embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line 22 in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a developed inside plan view of the tubular guide and thetraversing bands;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view along line 55 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view along line 66 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the endless feed bands;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the tubular guide for the feed bands;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a cigar produced by the aboveillustrated mechanism;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar 3,152,595 PatentedOct. 13, 1964 to FIGURE 2 of a modified form of tobacco fillerrodforming mechanism;

FIGURE 11 is an inside developed view thereof;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view along line 12.12 in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 13 is an end, partially diagrammatic, e1evational view thereof;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified, tobacco feedmechanism;

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view along line 1515 in FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view along line 16-16 in FIGURE 14.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a feeddevice comprising an endless flexible band including a helical run, alongitudinally extending guide means engaging the outer face of saidband along said helical run for confining said band along said helicalrun, and means for advancing said band along the length thereof. Aplurality of the improved feed devices are employed to great advantagein a continuous cigar producing apparatus and they function to form thefiller tobacco into a continuous compact rod, to advance the rod oftobacco while rotating said rod, and continuously to wrap the advancingtobacco rod helically in any desirable web. The feed devices areassociated in many arrangements, and although firmly and positivelyhandling, shaping and advancing the tobacco and wrapping the shapedtobacco, these operations can be performed gently without damaging thetobacco or the wrapper web and can uniformly produce an end product ofhigh quality.

In accordance with one form of the present apparatus, the guide is inthe form of an elongated tube having three longitudinally spaced pairsof longitudinally spaced band trailing inlet and leading outletopenings. A first endless flexible band enters the first inlet opening,traverses a first helical run of at least one convolution along theinner face of the tube and leaves through the first outlet opening; asecond endless flexible resilient band enters the tube through thesecond inlet opening in sideby-side relationship with the first band,traverses a heli cal run along the tube inner face of less than oneconvolution and leaves the tube by way of the second outlet opening; anda third endless flexible resilient band enters the tube through thethird inlet opening, traverses a third helical run along the tube innerface of at least one convolution and leaves the tube through the thirdoutlet opening. The helical runs delineate a substantially continuoustubular passageway with a mini-mum of openings and are preferably of thesame pitch. The first and second bands are advanced at the same speedand the third band is driven so as to be advanced at the same or greaterspeed than the first and second bands, all the bands advancing in thesame direction. Means are provided for feeding tobacco into the end ofthe tube, for guiding a wrapper web into overlying relationship with theinner face of the first band and the adjacent border of the second band,for applying an adhesive to the border of the wrapper web, and forcutting the wrappd rod of tobacco as it leaves the tube intopredetermined lengths. A screw mechanism may be employed for feeding thetobacco into the end of the tube as one form of feed. However, thetobacco may be advantageously fed into the apparatus by depositing itinto the inner face of the third band as it approaches the third inletopening. In order to better handle and shape the tobacco a fourthendless band is provided which enters and leaves the tube throughcorresponding inlet and outlet openings, and between these openingstraverses a fourth helical run of at least one convolution trailing thethird helical run along the inner face of the tube. The fourth band isadvanced at a faster rate than the third band whereby to effect thecompression of the tobacco between these runs and these runs arepreferably of opposite pitch.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES l to 8thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, reference numeral 10 generally designates an elongated guidetube which is preferably formed of a self-lubricating abrasion-resistantmaterial of any well known type, and of a diameter in accordance withthe desired diameter of the end product to be formed. Three pairs oflongitudinally spaced band inlet and outlet openings in the shape oflongitudinal slots are formed in the wall of tube 10, the respectiveslots being tangent to the inner face of tube 10. The first pair ofopenings comprises an outlet slot 1B next adjacent the discharge end Dof the tube 10 and communicating from above, with the interior thereofat the front of the tube designated at the 180 position and an inletslot 1A trailing slot 113, and communicating from below with theinterior thereof at the 180 position. The second pair of openings trailsthe first pair, and comprises a leading outlet slot 213 communicatingfrom below with the rear or position of the tube interior and a trailinginlet slot 2A communicating from below with the tube 180 interiorposition. The third pair of openings trails the second pair andcomprises a leading outlet slot 3B communicating from below with thetube 0 interior position and a trailing inlet slot 3A communicating fromthe rear with the bottom or 270 position of the tube interior. The inletslots 1A and 2A are in end-to-end communication as are the slots 2B and3B. The relative spacings of the slots are a function of the paths ofthe endless feed bands as well be hereinafter set forth.

Guide tube is suitably mounted in end-to-end relationship with a tobaccotube 11, and is coupled therewith by means of a sleeve 12, tube 11communcating with a tobacco-containing hopper 13. A feed screw 14extends along the length of tube llll, into the entrance end E of tube10, and along the bottom of hopper 13, screw 14 being adjustably drivenby a motor 16 through a variable speed coupling unit 17, the drive shaftof which is connected to screw 14.

The wrapper web applying system of the invention includes a pair offirst and second endless bands 19 and 20 respectively, and the tobaccorod forming and feeding system includes a third endless band 21. Endlessbands 19, 20 and 21 are formed of an easy flexible, resilient materialsuch as a thin steel tape capable of withstanding longitudinalcompression and of being easily flexed.

The first endless band 19 travels upwardly through inlet slot 1A intosliding engagement with the inside face of tube 10, traverses aforwardly counter-clockwise first helical run 19a along the inner faceof tube 10 and then passes out of tube 10 upwardly through outlet slot13. Thereafter, band 19 travels around wheels or drums 22, 23, 24 and 26back to inlet slot 1A. A motor 27 is connected, by way of an adjustablespeed coupling unit 28, at least to drums 22 and 26 which are of thesame diameter, to drive these drums at the same peripheral speeds sothat band 19 smoothly traverses its helical run 19a along the inner faceof tube 10. The pitch of the helical run 1% of band 19, the insidediameter of tube 10 and the width of the band 19 are such that theopposite longitudinal edges of the band, at adjacent convolutions alongthe helical run 19a, are in substantially side-by-side abutment (FIGS. 2and 3) to delineate a longitudinal tubular passageway. While the helicalrun 1% is illustrated as a single convolution, it is to be understoodthat it may include more than one convolution.

The second band 20 is similar to the first band 19, and travels upwardlythrough entrance slot 2A into the tube 10, traverses a forwardlycounter-clockwise helical path 20a of about one half a convolution orabout along the inner face of the tube 10 and leaves tube 10 downwardlythrough outlet slot 2B. Thereafter, band 20 travels about the wheels ordrums 29, 30 and 32 back to inlet slot 2A. Drums 30 and 32 are alsodriven by motor 27 and coupling unit 23 and at the same peripheral speedas drums 26 and 22 so that bands 19 and 2% advance at the same speed.Band 2d, as it leaves drum 32, travels in side-by-side substantiallyabutting relationship with band 19 toward and through the inlet opening2A and along the helical run 20a.

The third band 21 is similar in properties to bands 19 and 2t and ispreferably provided with a roughened inner face as by sandblasting orthe like treatment. Band 21 enters tube 10 horizontally through theinlet slot 3A, traverses a forwardly counter-clockwise helical run 21aof one and three-quarters convolutions or about 630 along and in slidingengagement with the inner face of tube 10 and leaves the tubesubstantially vertically downwardly through outlet slot 38. Thereafter,band 21 travels around the drums or wheels 33, 34, 36, 37 and 33 andback to inlet slot 3A. A motor 39, by way of an adjustable speedcoupling unit 40, drives at least drums 33 and 33 at the same peripheralspeeds to advance band 21 along its length at a speed at least equal toand advantageously greater than that of the bands 19 and 20. The leadingedge of band 21, along the leading convolution of helical run 21a,preferably substantially abuts or slightly overlaps the trailing edge ofband 20 along its helical run 20a (FIG. 2). It should be noted that thenumber of convolutions along helical run 21a may be different than thatillustrated but should be at least one convolution. Furthermore,adjacent edges of band 21 along successive convolutions are preferablyin substantial abutment.

A roll 41 of a band or web W of a suitable wrapper material,advantageously an artificial sheet tobacco of any desirable compositionincluding finely divided tobacco and a suitable binder, is rotatablymounted at a point trailing bands 19 and 20 where they enter guide tube10. The web W is of slightly greater width than band 19 and is directedby a guide 42 into coinciding overlying relationship with band 19 andinto overlapping relationship with adjacent band 20, and is carried byand with bands 19 and 20 int and along guide tube 10.

Between tube 10 and guide 42 and adjacent drum 26 there is located meansfor applying an adhesive, for example, an aqueous solution of a gum, tothe inner border of web W remote from the belt 20. The adhesive applyingmeans includes an open topped tank 43 containing the gum solution 44. Arotating transfer wheel 46 has its lower periphery immersed in the gumsolution 44 and carries adhesive to a rotating applicator wheel 47 whichengages the periphery of the wheel 46. The wheel 47 in turn, engages theouter border as 48 of the web W as it is carried by the band 19 over thedrum 26 to apply a continuous strip of adhesive thereto.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus described above, tobaccoT is fed from hopper 13 by rotating screw 14 through tube 11 into tube10 and into the passageway delineated by the third band 21 along helicalrun 21a. Band 21, traversing a circular forwardly advancing path alongthe run 21a, engages the tobacco delivered to it by the screw 14 andeffects the turning and interlocking of the tobacco into a compact,coherent, integrated continuous rod or cylinder of tobacco C advancingand rotating in synchronism with band 21 along run 21a.

Upon leaving band run 21a, tobacco rod C advances along the passagewaydelineated by bands 19 and 20 along runs 20a and 19a. Web W is withdrawnfrom roll 41, led by guide 42 into overlying and overlappingrelationship with bands 19 and 20 and wheel 47 applies a strip ofadhesive to the outer border 48 thereof. Web W is carried by band 19helically about the advancing tobacco rod C and is helically wound aboutthe tobacco rod. The outer or leading border 48 of web W which carriesthe adhesive is brought into overlapping relationship with the trailingborder of web W along its next leading convolution around the advancingtobacco rod, the trailing border being delineated by that portion of webW overlapping the band 2t). The overlapping borders of the successiveconvolutions of the web W are afiixed to each other by the sandwichadhesive strip 48 to form a continuously advancing wrapper tube whichtightly ensheaths the concurrently advancing rod of tobacco. As thewrapped rod 49 of tobacco emerges from end D of tube it is cut intocigars S of predetermined lengths by a periodically actuated cutter 50located along the path of the web wrapped advancing rod 49.

It will be seen that the tobacco and the rod formed therefromtransverses a substantially closed passageway delineated by the bands19, and 21 along the runs 19a, 26a and 21a and moves concurrently withthese bands and is hence not subjected to any rough or abrasivehandling. The compactness and density of the tobacco filler or rod andthe tightness of the wrapper web may be easily and widely controlled byadjusting the relative speeds of screw 14 and the bands 1%, 20 and 21. Agreater compactness and density is generally achieved by higher speedsof the trailing feed elements. Thus an increase in speed of the screw 14relative to the band 21 or of the band 21 relative to the bands 19 and20 is accompanied by an increase in the tobacco filler density.

In FIGURES 10 to 13 of the drawings there is illustrated a modified formof tobacco rod producing mechanism which may be used to great advantage,and which differs from that first described primarily in the provisionof a fourth endless forming and feed band traversing a helical runtrailing that of the third endless band of the previously describedmodification. Specifically, the mechanism includes a guide tube 51 whichis coupled to the hopper outlet tube 52 housing a rotating screw 53 fordelivering tobacco from the associated hopper into tube 51. The leadingsection of the tube 51 has associated therewith the first and secondendless wrapper applying bands (as 19, 20, not here shown) whichtraverse helical runs in the tube 51, as earlier described, as well as athird endless flexible band 54 traversing a helical run in the tube 51trailing the first and second bands in the manner of the endless band21. Band 54 enters the lower part of tube 51 through the rear, traversesa helical forwardly counter-clockwise run 54a of 630 along the innerface of the tube 51 and leaves the tube downwardly at the 0 position andtravels back to tube 51 by way of suitably driven drums.

Tube 51, in addition to the inlet and outlet openings for the firstthree endless belts, is provided with a trailing pair of longitudinallyspaced inlet and outlet slots including a leading outlet slot 413directed tangentially downwardly from the front or 180 inside positionof tube 51 and a trailing inlet slot 4A extending horizontallyrearwardly through the tube lower front wall tangentially to the bottomor 270 inside position of tube 51. It should be noted that in theillustrated embodiment, outlet slot 4B is slightly forward of the inletslot for the third endless band.

A fourth endless flexible resilient band 56 enters the tube 51 throughthe entrance slot 4A transverse a forwardly clockwise helical run 56aalong the inner face of the tube 51, at a pitch opposite to that ofthird band 54, and for about two and three-quarters convolutions. Thehelical runs 54a and 56a have their adjacent borders in overlappingrelationship, band 56 at the leading end of run 56:: overlapping thetrailing convolution of band 54 shortly forward of inlet slot 3A andband 54 at the trailing end of run 54a overlapping part of the leadingconvolution of band 56. Thus, bands 54 and 56 along runs 54a and 56adelineate a substantially closed face tubular passageway.

Band 56, after leaving outlet slot 413, travels about successive wheelsor drums 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61 and back to inlet slot 4A. A motor 63, byway of a variable speed coupling unit 64, drives at least drums 61 and57 at the same peripheral speed to advance the belt 56 continuouslyalong its length and along helical run 5601. Bands 54 and 56 advancealong runs 54a and 56a forwardly in the same axial direction toward thedischarge end of the tube 51 but in opposite peripheral directions, band54 travelling counter-clockwise and band 56 clockwise. The band 56 isdriven at least at the speed of and advantageously at a greater speedthan band 54.

In the operation of the apparatus last described, tobacco is fed byscrew 53 into the tube 51 and the passageway delineated by run 56a. Belt56 along run 5611 engages the tobacco and turns and advances it towardthe preferably slower moving run 54a of belt 54. Belt 54 then engagesthe tobacco and turns it in an opposite direction and advances it towardthe wrapping section earlier described. As the tobacco transfers fromrun 56a to the slower moving run 54a it is compacted into an integratedcoherent continuous rod of tobacco whose density may be varied byadjusting the relative speeds of the various endless bands and of screw53. Generally, the greater the reduction in feed speeds approaching thedischarge end of the tube 51 the greater the tobacco filler density andcompactness.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 14 to 16of the drawings differs from those earlier described in the arrangementfor feeding the tobacco to the forming and wrapping mechanism. There isprovided an elongated guide tube 65 communicating at its trailing endwith a trough 66 forming an obtuse angle with the axis of the tube 65corresponding to the pitch of the feed band therein as will behereinafter set forth. The trough 66 includes a flat base 67 andupstanding longitudinally extending side walls 63. Opposite inwardlydirected lips 69 are formed on the inner leading face of the side walls68 a short distance above base 67 to delineate therewith band guidechannels, the confront ing longitudinally extending side wall 68.Opposite inproach tube 65. An endless flexible resilient band 76corresponding to the third or fourth feed bands of the earlier describedembodiments travels along the upper face of the trough base 67 betweenthe side Walls 68 and below the lips 69 and into the tube 65 through anenlarged opening 70a therein. Band '76 then traverses a helical runalong the inner face of the tube 65 and then leaves the tube 65 throughan outlet opening 76b and returns to trough 66, being advanced along itslength in the manner earlier described.

A pair of opposite parallel bracket plates 71 project upwardly from sideWalls 68 posterior to lips 69 and have journalled thereto a shaft 72 towhich is affixed an outer flanged fiat faced drum 73 medially disposedrelative to and located above trough 66. Shaft 72 is coupled to avariable speed motor '74 suitably supported on a laterally projectingmount plate 76. A second pair of parallel bracket plates '77 projectupwardly from the trough side walls 68 and have journalled therein atransverse shaft 78 carrying a drum 7 9 having a concave peripheralface. Drum 79 is located directly behind the trailing opening into thetube 65 along the bottom of which the band 7% enters and is disposed ashort distance above the band 70. A11 endless flexible feed band 80 ofany suitable flexible material is supported by and between the drums 73and 79 and is advanced by the driven drum 73 along a forward bottom run81 which extends from the bottom of drum 73 in a downwardly forwardlyinclined direction to the bottom of drum 79, starting transversely flatas it leaves the drum 73 and becoming increasingly downwardly convexapproaching drum 79.

In the operation of the apparatus last described, tobacco T iscontinuously deposited in any suitable manner and in the desiredorientation upon band 79 in trough 66 behind the band 3%. The tobacco Tis carried by band 7t? toward the entrance to tube 65 and during suchpassage is laterally compressed by the confronting converging faces oflips 69 and vertically compressed and shaped by the forwardly convergingbands 70 and 8d. The compacted tobacco enters tube 65 with band 70wherein the latter traverses a helical run, as previously described, toshape the tobacco into an advancing, integrated, coherent rod which isthereafter helically wrapped while continuously advancing. The densityand compactness of the final product is not only a function of therelative speeds of the various feed bands but also the rate of tobaccofeed advancing. The density and compactness of the final product is notonly a function of the relative speeds of the various feed bands butalso the rate of tobacco feed to trough 68. Trough 68 is advantageouslycontinuously supplied at a predetermined level of tobacco approachingthe feed band 80 to assure a uniform end product.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

Having described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A feed device comprising a longitudinally extending tubular guide, anendless flexible band including a helical run disposed within and,extending coaxially along said tubular guide for more than oneconvolution and bearing on the inner face of said tubular guide, onelongitudinal edge of said band extending along said helical run being insubstantial abutment along a length thereof with the other longitudinaledge of said band along the next successive convolution of said bandalong said helical run, and means for advancing said band along thelength of said tubular guide.

2. A continuous cigar producing apparatus comprising a longitudinallyextending tubular guide having longitudinally spaced first trailing andsecond leading openings formed in the wall thereof, a first endless,flexible, resilient band entering said tubular guide through said firstopening and traversing a first coaxial helical run delineating a firsttubular passageway along said tubular guide and leaving said tubularguide through said second opening, means for advancing said first bandalong the length thereof to traverse said helical run from said firstopening to said second opening, means for continuously feeding a wrapperweb in overlying relationship with the inner face of said first band atsaid first opening, means for continuously feeding a cylindrical rod oftobacco into said tubular passageway, said tubular guide having formedin the wall thereof longitudinally spaced third trailing and fourthleading openings, said first and third openings being in side-by-siderelationship, a second endless flexible resilient band entering saidtubular guide through said third opening in side-by-side parallelrelationship with said first band as it enters said first opening andtraversing a second coaxial helical path of less than one convolutionand leaving said tubular guide through said fourth opening, and meansfor advancing said second band along the length thereof in the samedirection as said first band, said wrapper web feeding means directingsaid web into overlapping relationship with the inner face of saidsecond band,

3. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first andsecond bands are of substantially the same width and traverse saidrespective helical runs in the same sense at substantially the samelinear speed.

4. A continuous cigar producing apparatus comprising a longitudinallyextending tubular guide having longitudinally spaced first trailing andsecond leading openings formed in the wall thereof, a first endless,flexible resilient band entering said tubular guide through said firstopening and traversing a first coaxial helical run delineating a firsttubular passageway along said tubular guide and leaving said tubularguide through said second opening, means for advancing said first bandalong the length thereof to traverse said helical run from said firstopening to said second opening, means for continuously feeding a wrapperweb in overlying relationship with the inner face of said first band atsaid first opening, a third flexible resilient endless band having athird helical run located in said tubular guide and trailing said firsthelical run and delineating a second tubular passageway in coaxialalignment with said first tubular passageway, and means for advancingsaid third band along the length thereof and along said third helicalrun in the same axial direction as the direction of advance of saidfirst band along said first helical run.

5. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 4- wherein said first andthird helical runs are of the same sense and substantially the samepitch.

6. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tubular guidehas longitudinally spaced trailing fifth and leading sixth openingsformed therein trailing said first and second openings, said thirdendless band entering said fifth opening and traversing said thirdhelical run aiong said tubular guide and leaving said guide through saidsixth opening.

7. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 4 including a fourth flexible,resilient endless band, having a fourth helical run located in saidtubular guide and trailing said third helical run and delineating atubular passageway in coaxial alignment with said first and secondtubular passageways, and means for advancing said fourth endless bandalong the length thereof and along said fourth helical run in the sameaxial direction as the direction of advance of said third band alongsaid third helical run.

8. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 4 including a fourth flexible,resilient endless band, having a fourth helical run of an opposite senseto said third helical run located in said tubular guide and trailing andin substantially end-to-end relationship with said third helical run anddelineating a tubular passageway in coaxial alignment with said firstand second tubular passageways, and means for advancing said fourthendless band along the length thereof and along said fourth helical runin the same axial direction as the direction of said third band alongsaid third helical run.

9. The cigar producing apparatus of claim 4 including a second endlessflexible resilient band traversing a second helical run of less than oneconvolution and disposed in said tubular guide between said first andthird helical runs and extending along said second helical run insideby-side relationship with said first band, and means for advancingsaid second band along the length thereof in the same direction as saidfirst band, said wrapper web feeding means directing said web intooverlapping relationship with the inner face of said second band.

10. A tobacco forming device comprising a longitudinally extendingtubular guide, a first endless flexible resilient band traversing afirst helical run along the inner face of said tubular guide, a secondendless flexible resilient band traversing a second helical run alongthe inner face of said tubular guide and trailing said first helicalrun, means for advancing said first band along the length thereof andmeans for advancing said second hand along the length thereof at agreater axial speed than said first band and in the same axial directionalong said second helical run as said first band along said firsthelical run.

11. The tobacco forming device of claim 10 wherein said first and secondhelical runs are of opposite pitch.

12. A device for continuously forming an elongated cylindrical rod oftobacco comprising a longitudinally extending hollow tubular guide, aplurality of pairs of openings formed in the wall thereof, each pairproviding an entrance opening into and an exit opening out from saidguide, the openings of each pair being longitudinally spaced along theguide, a plurality of endless flexible resilient bands entering theguide through the entrance openings and leaving the guide through theexit openings and each traversing a helical run between said openings,at least one helical run defining a tubular passageway,

the guide supporting the passageway and limiting the 10 transversedimensions thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,805 9/95Maxfield 131-59 1,714,541 5/29 Bergstein 9380 1,919,705 7/33 Petersen198136 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 176,916 11/ 3 5 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

1. A FEED DEVICE COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TUBULAR GUIDE, ANENDLESS FLEXIBLE BAND INCLUDING A HELICAL RUN DISPOSED WITHIN AND,EXTENDING COAXIALLY ALONG SAID TUBULAR GUIDE FOR MORE THAN ONECONVOLUTION AND BEARING ON THE INNER FACE OF SAID TUBULAR GUIDE, ONELONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID BAND EXTENDING ALONG SAID HELICAL RUN BEING INSUBSTANTIAL ABUTMENT ALONG A LENGTH THEREOF WITH THE OTHER LONGITUDINALEDGE OF SAID BAND ALONG THE NEXT SUCCESSIVE CONVOLUTION OF SAID BANDALONG SAID HELICAL RUN, AND MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID BAND ALONG THELENGTH OF SAID TUBULAR GUIDE.